


Unexpected Challenges

by KalKira



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-04-19
Updated: 2011-05-02
Packaged: 2017-10-18 09:09:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalKira/pseuds/KalKira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It's an ancient curse on the Fudomine tennis team."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"It's an ancient curse on the Fudomine tennis team," An says seriously, at lunch. Kippei tries very hard to keep from rolling his eyes, because it really isn't much more improbable than any other explanation. "I found an article about it in an old copy of the school paper. It goes back all the way to the founding of the school. Apparently, they built the tennis courts on top of some old shrine, and ever since then, any team with the true spirit of tennis in them has, well, this happen."

"This" is Kamio and Mori glaring at each other from either side of Kippei's folded legs, ears flat and tails lashing, while Sakurai stretches across Ishida's lap and happily bats at Ishida's bandanna, nobly sacrificed for the cause of team unity. Ibu made a few attempts earlier to distract his best friend, but retreated back to his lunch after receiving a few scratches to the hand that unwisely came between Kamio and his opponent, and is currently muttering to himself about catnip and mice. Uchimura didn't even try to help; he ran off as soon as he saw what had happened and returned a few minutes later with a digital camera.

An has finished talking and is looking at him expectantly now. Right. Leadership time. "Do we know what stressed them out?"

"Class 3 had a math midterm this morning," Uchimura says, camera clicking away. "Tatsu was pretty worried about it. Sounds like their teacher is really strict." That explains Mori and Kamio.

"Dunno about Sakurai," Ishida says."He seemed okay this morning. Maybe he just likes being a cat?" Sakurai purrs at him for a few seconds, then swipes at the bandanna again.

Of course. Kippei's team not only transforms into cats under stress thanks to an old curse on the tennis courts, they're learning how to do it deliberately too. Because Fudomine just can't be normal, can it? Though, if they can do it deliberately, maybe they can change back deliberately, too. He'll have to ask Sakurai, when he can talk again. Kippei's getting a little tired of brushing cat fur off of everything he owns.

"I wonder if Akira is allergic to himself," Ibu says suddenly. "He was sneezing a lot at his house yesterday, and it probably wasn't because of me, since I hardly ever transform. But he might have been getting a cold, too, because he is kind of delicate sometimes, but I probably shouldn't say that to anyone, if it makes him annoyed when I mention it, which is very strange. It's a nice kind of delicate, so I don't see why he gets upset. I wonder if cats can fall in love, but he isn't really a cat, I don't think, so-"

"Ibu!" Kippei shouts. He absolutely does not want to make eye contact with anyone else right now, especially not his little sister who is sitting right there oh god. "Keep your thoughts on the inside of your head, please." Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Uchimura and Ishida nodding in agreement.

"Oh," Ibu says, "all right." He shrugs and goes back to picking at his lunch.

Kippei is sure none of the other captains ever have to deal with things like this.


	2. Chapter 2

Kippei has a headache and its name is Fuji Shuusuke. Seriously. He signed up to captain a tennis team, not deal with...whatever this is.

"Wait a sec," Hyoutei's Hiyoshi says. "Are you saying that every middle school and high school tennis court in Japan was built on some kind of sacred ground?" The _Are you kidding us?_ is nearly audible.

"Mmm," Fuji hums, still smiling. "Spiritually active, I should say. Places like Rikkai might not be so nicely classified, don't you think?"

Kippei takes a slow, deep breath. Sprouting a tail and whiskers will not solve anything at the moment, though he does promise himself that as soon as he can, he will make sure to hack up an especially nasty furball in one of Fuji's shoes.

"In any case," says St. Rudolph's Kisarazu, looking around the dusty storage room, "why are you telling all this to us?" Next to him, his twin nods firmly.

"I have a plan," Fuji says, and his smile stretches into a smirk.

Screw this, Kippei decides. At least as a cat, he might be able to escape through a window.


	3. Chapter 3

Atsushi lets out another burst of avian profanity and continues pacing around his bedroom on webbed feet. It's not fair, it's never fair, and it's not his fault. Mizuki can just shut the fuck up and go back to staring at his pictures of Yuuta's big brother like the creepy fucking stalker he is, and leave the rest of the team alone, dammit. Especially Atsushi's doubles partner.

Well, if he doesn't learn to keep his hands to himself, and stop fucking with their combination, Atsushi will teach him. He can turn into a swan, and he's pretty sure his wings can break bones if he tries hard enough. He'll be happy to experiment on Mizuki if the bastard doesn't back off.

A small part of him in the back of his mind is quietly flipping out, as usual, about how vicious being a swan makes him. And yeah, he wouldn't normally take so much joy in imagining gouging out someone's eyeballs, but seriously, it's _Mizuki_. The only reason he doesn't regret joining the asshole's team at all is because of Yanagisawa. Well, and the rest of the guys, but they aren't special. They aren't _his_.

And apparently, in addition to being fluffy white bundles of rage and hatred, swans are also very territorial. "Learn something new every fucking day around here," he mutters, and half-hops, half-flutters up to his bed. Most of his frustration has burned away, but there's enough of an edge left that it seems unlikely he'll switch back anytime soon. "Fucking asshole," he adds, for good measure, and curls up against his pillow. This definitely calls for a good sulk. Fortunately, his parents took the news of his transformations calmly, and won't be upset if he misses dinner.

The door swings open with a slight creak, and he opens one eye to glare at the intruder. Ryou smirks back at him, not in the least afraid for his life. "You know, I don't think Mom would approve of your language," he says, and settles himself at the foot of the bed. "Is all not well in your fluffy little lovenest? Did you have a spat with the duck? Is he leaving you for another waterfowl? There are several nice geese around here, I'd be happy to introduce him."

On the other hand, Atsushi decides, maiming his brother will be a much more satisfying use of his evening.


	4. Chapter 4

Shuusuke breathes and the world breathes with him. A tiny breeze swirls through the ends of his hair, curls around his shoulders, sweeps down his arms and moves on. Above, stronger gusts move the clouds along, and when he really closes his eyes, he feels them pushing at him too. (When he noticed what had happened, he hoped it would do something to dull the painful clarity of the world he sees with his eyes truly open. Instead, it somehow made it worse; the one time he tried really looking at something, without the blurring filter of rage, he felt as though his head would explode from the sight.) Smaller winds tug him in all directions; he must look a sight, standing on a street corner in the middle of his own personal cyclone. He takes a moment to think, then follows the one that feels like _heat_ and _stone_. Eiji and Oishi are training in the park this afternoon, but they should be finishing up by the time he arrives, and having the two of them along will make Taka feel less awkward about going out for food before the movie Shuusuke is going to invite him to.

Eiji might even convince Oishi to take him to a movie as well. Shuusuke is sure Oishi is a perfectly doting boyfriend in private, but he should make some public gestures too, to make sure Eiji doesn't have any doubts about his affection. Shuusuke would be very unhappy if Eiji had any complaints about his relationship. (And it would be such a trouble to find a new vice-captain in the middle of the season. Momo-chan could step up as Eiji's doubles partner, but the only other suitable candidate for vice-captaincy is currently Inui, and Shuusuke would prefer that the team remain _less_ dysfunctional than Rikkai. Really, it's much preferable that Oishi just keep Eiji happy.)

The park is full of trees and bushes and grass, and some of the winds dart away from Shuusuke to whistle between leaves, rattle branches, shake stems, before returning to him. They bring back little snatches of sound and taste and smell; he stops in the middle of the path for a moment to process it all. (These flowers are in blossom, those about to bloom, over there is a young girl singing and skipping rope. An ice cream cone lies discarded under that tree. Two old men are playing go beside a fountain. Someone is bouncing a tennis ball and laughing.) In another moment, he'll follow the winds to his friends and then further on.

The world breathes and Shuusuke breathes with it.


	5. Chapter 5

"Unfortunately," Renji says with a sigh, "records suggest most of the more useful materials were in one of the libraries that was affected by the...anomaly." He slouches down in his chair. "Sadaharu is gathering what data he can, of course, and Genichirou is going to talk to Atobe tomorrow, but there is currently nothing else I can do."

Seiichi nods and pushes a plate of cookies across the table. "It's about time you took a break anyway, hmm?" They've all been run ragged these past few months, trying to survive the chaos that had somehow been unleashed upon them; Renji has pushed himself the hardest, striving, as always, not only to endure but to understand. He has a right to be exhausted, Seiichi thinks, and feels a brief ripple of guilt for not doing something to lighten Renji's load.

"Stop that." Renji frowns. "You're doing what you have to do, and I'm perfectly capable of making my own choices." He pauses. "Though I will take you up on your offer of a nice soothing back rub."

"Oh will you," Seiichi says with a smirk. "I don't know. Your lecture may have convinced me not to make the offer after all." He stands and steps over to the stove to stir the pot of soup there. Most of the Yukimura house is done in the traditional style, but his mother had insisted on a large Western kitchen. She probably never imagined her beautifully designed home would be serving as a shelter and headquarters for eight lost boys. He wonders where she is now, what happened to her in those weeks he can't remember, if she misses him.

Seiichi takes a deep breath, and looks at the wall in front of him. It does not look back. "So, does Genichirou know he's going to Hyoutei tomorrow?"

He can feel Renji's smirk. "He should get the call in about half an hour. I can't tell what Atobe is going to say, but it will be important."

"I'll make sure the others are distracted, then," Seiichi decides. "We don't want a repeat of last Tuesday." He puts a lid on the soup pot and turns around. "Dinner should be ready in fifteen minutes. Would you like your back rub now or later?"

"Later." Renji stands and stretches. "Niou and Yagyuu owe me a chess match, I believe." He slips out the door to the garden, and Seiichi closes his eyes to better track the locations of the rest of his friends. Niou and Yagyuu are out by the pond, no doubt getting up to some kind of mischief, and Akaya is dozing on the back porch. Marui and Jackal are in the bedroom, and Seiichi can hear them laughing. Genichirou is currently hovering just outside the door that connects the kitchen to the rest of the house.

"It's all right," Seiichi calls softly. "You aren't interrupting anything." Genichirou shuffles in, a little awkwardly.

"I was concerned," he says, not quite making eye contact. "You were distressed. Barging in is impolite."

"You will never be unwelcome," Seiichi says, answering the unspoken question. When this is all resolved, he thinks very _very_ quietly, therapists are going to have a field day with the lot of them. "Would you get out cups? I could use some tea."

And this all will be resolved, he thinks. With the three of them working together, nothing is impossible.


End file.
